BIBLE FACTS ALL OVER THE GLOBE

the Lord Jesus is the source of grace and peace

2013-05-23T06:07:00.001-07:00

to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Rom 1:7

All believers are "dearly loved by God" with a special love

John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

"Saints" literally means 'HOLY ONES" and all believers in Christ are such.

According to Bible "saints" are not some exceptionally holy or dedicated successful believers, but all believers without exception.

They are to live holy lives because they are holy people and belong to Jesus Christ the Holy one.

"Grace" and "Peace" are two fo the great words of the gospel of Christ.

Grace saves believers and keeps them and supplies freely all they need for a life of holiness, usefulness and godliness.

We cam never deserve God's grace.

Grace means God's favor to those who are nor worthy of it, who can never earn it.

peace here means the rest of heart, the peace of mind that Christ gives

(Matt 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS."For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.")

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

It is result of being rightly related to God.

That the Lord Jesus is the source of grace and peace just as God the Father is.

This is true because He shares God's nature.

Phil 2:6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

What Does the Bible Say About The Conscience

2013-05-20T04:41:00.002-07:00

A Good Conscience

Acts 23 :1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

"Conscience " - this is a word Paul used all together 23 times in his speeches and letters recorded in the New Testament. It is used only nine times in other parts of the New Testament.

Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness

I Tim 1:5,19 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

I Tim 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Conscience is an inner faculty which judges what is right and wrong. It is an inner voice which can speak in alarm when an individual does something contrary to its judgement, or be correct.

Paul insisted on the importance of having a "good" conscience.In Acts 24;16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men. and 2 Cor 1;12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. he gives one of the principles he always followed.

Even when he was persecuting he church he maintained good conscience ( Acts 26;9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Phil 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.)

He thought that he was doing was right I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This shows that conscience is not infallible and can make serious errors.It needs to be instructed by the word of God.The blood of Christ alone can purify.

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

WITCHCRAFT DISPLEASES GOD,Disobedience Is As Witchcraft

2013-05-15T05:07:00.001-07:00

Who Does God Hate?Is witchcraft against God?

"There shall not be found among you any one ... that useth divination,

or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer,

or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord..."

(Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

God tells us in His word several times that consulting mediums, fortune tellers, using witchcraft and sorcery are wrong. God looks at these things as abominations. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,or one who casts a spell,or a medium, or a spirit's or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.”

Another example can be found in 2 Chronicles chapter 33. Manasseh was king over Judah, he decided that he would participate in using witchcraft, sorcery etc. This displeased God. As a result of his sin, God allowed armies from Assyria to take him away. Realizing he was wrong, he asked God to forgive him. God forgave him and brought him back to Jerusalem.

It is very important that we are not ignorant the devils devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). This means we have to be vigilant and be able to recognize things that may cross our paths that represent things concerning the occult. This includes games, books, movies and even things dealing with horoscopes and zodiac signs. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”

Acts 19:19-20 tells us how after seeing miracles of God, the people in Ephesus burned their books of witchcraft and magic and professed Jesus Christ. By burning their books, they were ridding themselves of the representation of their sin and showing faith that Christ would deliver them from it.

If you have participated in these types of things knowingly or not, there is redemption from sin. Jesus died for all of our sins. Truly confess your sin to Him and ask for forgiveness.Everyday, take time to pray and ask Jesus to cover every area of your life.

God wants us to be vigilant.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”: (1Pet 5:8.) It is for these reasons that I desire to reveal to you some important hints about witchcraft. In fact, Christianity is fighting the world

Magic is the impossible thing that one does with the aid of demons.

Demons are the fallen angels whose loyalty are to Satan, the devil who himself is the Chief Demon. Witches are those that have demons as their higher nature that help them to do wicked acts.

The wills of witches are already surrendered to Satan and that make them to do wicked things even when they hurt them and their families.

All witches are wicked because the spirits to help and control them are wicked spirits. Perhaps, the first witch was Eve who ate the fruit of the forbidden tree in order to get wisdom. The wisdom that she got was witchcraft. God was so displeased with the practice of witchcraft that he made His decision to destroy the entire human race leaving only Noah and his household.

However, 1 Sam. 15:22 states otherwise, and its context teaches that if we do not do exactly as the Lord commands for a given situation, then He is flatly not pleased. We cannot fall back on other areas where we think we are pleasing Him.

Scripture makes clear that “disobedience” and “unbelief” go hand in hand. We also know that the kind of belief we must have is trust –also called “faith”– because “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Heb. 11:6) Therefore, just as unbelief displeases God, and unbelief in His Son denies us entrance into Heaven, so disobedience displeases God and keeps one from entering “His rest”. For disobedience, being the same as rebellion, –in God’s eyes, is just like the sin of witchcraft.

Should a Christian go to movies? Is watching a movie a sin?

2013-05-09T04:13:00.000-07:00

SHOULD CHRISTIANS GO TO MOVIES

We realize that many readers have simply accepted movies as a part of life and they may be somewhat shocked that someone would even raise the issue of the propriety of viewing them. They just accept them as part of modern life and have never considered whether any Biblical principles have a bearing on viewing a movie. Let us discuss this issue briefly.

First, even though many professing "Christians" may have opposed movies, particularly Hollywood movies, at one time, this does not necessarily say that such movies would be wrong.

For a Christian, the question is not so much "is watching this movie a sin?" but "is this something that Jesus would want me to do?" The Bible tells us that many things are permitted, but not all things are beneficial or constructive (1 Corinthians 10:23). It also says that whatever we say or do (or watch) should be done to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We are to set our minds on things that are noble and pure (Philippians 4:8). If—and this is a big if—we can watch a movie or TV program that contains questionable content AND still be in agreement with these commands from the Bible, then it’s hard to see a wrong in this.

Eph. 5 has a list of sins and then it tells Christians not to be partakers in them. I was just wondering what you all thought of this chapter in relation to Hollywood movies? Should we even be watching the so called "clean" ones, because even just watching a Disney movies is supporting an industry that is full of filth?

But there is a second biblical idea, found in the writings of the apostle Paul in the book of Philippians: "...this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best" (Philippians 1:9-10,

So, how do we know for sure whether what we are watching is beneficial? When we become followers of Christ, we are given His Holy Spirit to live in us (Acts 2:38;2 Timothy 1:14). Jesus tells us that this Spirit will guide us in all truth (John 16:13). One way God's Spirit guides us is by our conscience (Romans 1:12;9:1). If your conscience is telling you that what you are watching is wrong, it probably is.

Guidelines for Hospitality,How to Treat One Another

2013-05-09T03:23:00.002-07:00

Guidelines for Hospitality

The same questions crop up in every age, in every place

I have no greater joy than to here that my children are walking in the truth 3 John 4

Romans 12:10-13 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another… given to hospitality.
Romans 12:13 (Amp) Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.

Taken together, this letter and its companion give a balanced view of proper Christian hospitality.

Second John warned against entertaining false teachers.

But 3 John praises a man named Gaius for warmly welcoming genuine Christian teachers.

His actions had been opposed by Diotrephes, a cantankerous church dictator who was also gossiping against John.

In a very condensed form John's two letters deal with heresy and church splits, two problems that have plagued the church in every age, in every place.

To defend against those dangers, John urges and discernment.

Believers must know whom to accept and support, and whom to resist.

Scriptural Examples:

1. Abraham
Genesis 18:1-8 Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, "My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. "Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. "And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts.

After that you may pass by, in as much as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes." And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.

2. Martha

Luke 10:38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house

3. Lydia

Acts 16:14-15 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us.

How did the apostle Paul die

2013-05-06T06:58:00.001-07:00

How did the apostle Paul die?

When was apostle Paul's death?

Did he die in Rome?

The Bible does not tell us the exact time or manner of the apostle Paul's death, and secular history has yet to provide us with any definitive information. However, evidence highly suggests the apostle Paul's death occurred after his fifth missionary journey ended in 67 A.D. Paul was likely beheaded by the Romans, under Emperor Nero, sometime around May or June of 68 A.D. Nero himself died by suicide on June 9th of the same year.

The only apostle whose death the Bible records is James (Acts 12:2). King Herod had James “put to death with the sword,” likely a reference to beheading. The circumstances of the deaths of the other apostles are related through church tradition, so we should not put too much weight on any of the other accounts. The most commonly accepted church tradition in regard to the death of an apostle is that the apostle Peter was crucified upside-down on an x-shaped cross in Rome in fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy (John 21:18). The following are the most popular “traditions” concerning the deaths of the other apostles:

Matthew suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound. John faced martyrdom when he was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to what is now modern-day Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.

James, the brother of Jesus (not officially an apostle), was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He was thrown from the southeast pinnacle of the temple (over a hundred feet down) when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a club. This is thought to be the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the temptation.

Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed in present-day Turkey and was martyred for his preaching in Armenia, being flayed to death by a whip. Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers, they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: “I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.” He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he died. The apostle Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church there. Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded. The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero in Rome in A.D. 67. There are traditions regarding the other apostles as well, but none with any reliable historical or traditional support.

It is not so important how the apostles died. What is important is the fact that they were all willing to die for their faith. If Jesus had not been resurrected, the disciples would have known it. People will not die for something they know to be a lie. The fact that all of the apostles were willing to die horrible deaths, refusing to renounce their faith in Christ, is tremendous evidence that they had truly witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Why Should We Tithe?" "Should we tithe off our gross or net income?"

2013-05-04T04:53:00.005-07:00

Why Should We Tithe?

Many Christians struggle with the issue of tithing.

Since God owns everything — "the cattle on a thousand hills" and all there is — it might seem that He doesn't really need our tithes and offerings. He doesn't need them, true, but we need to give them. For, in instructing us to tithe, God is helping us to understand the law of reciprocity.

In addition, failure to tithe means we are actually robbing God of what is due Him. In Malachi 3:8-9, God spells out the results when the nation of Israel does not repay Him what they owe:

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — because you are robbing me."

When we tithe, we receive many blessings from God.

"Give,and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap" (Luke 6:38).Tithing is not an early Christian doctrine. When the Jews became Christians, they lived under Grace and not the Mosaic Law which tithing on their land and animals was a portion of the Law. Tithing on money was not a portion of the Mosaic Law or Abrahamic Covanent. This became a man made doctrine after the writing of the New Testament.

The tithe is an Old Testament concept. The tithe was a requirement of the law in which all Israelites were to give 10% of everything they earned—or the crops and animals they grew—to the Tabernacle / Temple (Leviticus 27:30;Numbers 18:26;Deuteronomy 14:24;2 Chronicles 31:5).

Believers in Christ are not commanded to give 10% of their income. Each and every Christian should diligently pray and seek God’s wisdom as to how much he or she should give (James 1:5). Many people believe that the Old Testament tithe is a good principle for believers to follow. Giving 10% of your income back to God demonstrates your thankfulness to Him for what He has provided and helps you to remember to rely on God instead of on riches.

The Bible does not specifically say whether we should give 10% off our gross or net income. The Old Testament teaches the principle of first fruits (Exodus 23:16;34:22;Leviticus 2:12-14;2 Chronicles 31:5). Old Testament believers gave from the best of their crops, not the leftovers.

The same principle should apply to our giving today. Again, a believer should give what he believes God would have him give. It all goes back to the attitude of the heart. Are we giving out of reverence for God or out of selfishness for our own wealth? “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

GIVE TO GOD FIRST

By making a spiritual decision to give to God first you learn more about the love, care and reality of God our heavenly Father than through other spiritual disciplines.

GIVE TO GOD SYSTEMATICALLY

Christians who do not have a regular way of laying aside the first of what they receive from the Lord often feel pressed and confused when it comes to giving. Many people making good incomes experience no joy in giving because they have not made a plan to systematically and faithfully give to God's work.

GIVE TO GOD CHEERFULLY

Cor. 9:8 tells us: "God loves a cheerful giver.

GIVE TO GOD THOUGHTFULLY

Haggai, in the first chapter, says: "Is it time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while (God's temple) remains a ruin? Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways

GIVE TO GOD ETERNALLY

Tim 6:18-19 says: " Command those who are rich ...to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age."

circumcise your hearts

2013-04-30T09:08:00.002-07:00

What does it mean to "circumsise your heart"?

The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Deut 30.6

This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:

“Break up your unplowed ground

and do not sow among thorns.

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,

circumcise your hearts,

you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,

or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire

because of the evil you have done—

burn with no one to quench it.

And the LORD said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed!

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done-- burn with no one to quench it.

On "circumcision" see Genesis 17:10. This verse points to the spiritual import of circumcision. Man is by nature "very far gone from original righteousness," and in a state of enmity to God; by circumcision, as the sacrament of admission to the privileges of the chosen people, this opposition must be taken away ere man could enter into covenant with God. It was through the flesh that man first sinned; as it is also in the flesh, its functions, lusts, etc., that man's rebellion against God chiefly manifests itself still. It was fitting therefore that the symbol which should denote the removal of this estrangement from God should be worked in the body. Moses then fitly follows up the command "to circumcise the heart," with the warning "to be no more stiff-necked." His meaning is that they should lay aside that obduracy and perverseness toward God for which he had been reproving them, which had led them into so many transgressions of the covenant and revolts from God, and which was especially the very contrary of that love and fear of God required by the first two of the Ten Commandments. The language associated with circumcision in the Bible distinguishes the use made of this rite in the Jewish religion from that found among certain pagan nations. Circumcision was practiced by some of them as a religious rite, designed (e. g.) to appease the deity of death who was supposed to delight in human suffering; but not by any, the Egyptians probably excepted, at all in the Jewish sense and meaning. The grounds on which circumcision was imposed as essential by the Law are the same as those on which Baptism is required in the Gospel. The latter in the New Testament is strictly analogous to the former under the Old; compare Colossians 2:11-12.

is water baptism essential for salvation?Why is baptism important?

2013-04-28T21:25:00.000-07:00

Is baptism necessary for salvation?

One of the most nagging questions in Christianity is whether or not baptism is necessary for salvation. The answer is a simple, "No, water baptism is not necessary for salvation." But you might ask, "If the answer is no, then why are there verses that say things like '...baptism that now saves you...' (1 Pet. 3:21) and '...Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins...' (Acts 2:38)?"

These are good questions and they deserve a good answer, so we will look at these verses later. But for now, the reason baptism is not necessary for salvation is because we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8), not by faith and a ceremony (Rom. 4:1-11)

Baptismal regeneration is the belief that a person must be baptized in order to be saved. It is our contention that baptism is an important step of obedience for a Christian, but we adamantly reject baptism as being required for salvation. We strongly believe that each and every Christian should be water baptized by immersion. Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.Romans 6:3-4 declares, “Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” The action of being immersed in the water illustrates dying and being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection.

Baptism is not necessary for salvation. Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take. Baptism is a public declaration of faith in Christ. Baptism is an identification of an old life dying with Christ and a new life being resurrected as a new creation (1 Corinthians 5:17). So, while baptism is very important, it is not a requirement for salvation. To make baptism a requirement for salvation is an attack on the perfection and sufficiency of God’s provision of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based salvation. To add anything to the gospel is to say that Jesus' death on the cross was not sufficient to purchase our salvation. To say we must be baptized in order to be saved is to say we must add our own good works and obedience to Christ's death in order to make it sufficient for salvation. Jesus' death alone paid for our sins (Romans 5:8;2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus' payment for our sins is appropriated to our “account” by faith alone (John 3:16;Acts 16:31;Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, baptism is an important step of obedience after salvation but cannot be a requirement for salvation baptism is necessary in that Christ commands it, and all genuine Christians who understand this fact must either be baptized or be considered to be in a state of disobedience and rebellion against Christ. But baptism is not prerequisite to being born again or forgiven of one’s sins, and it is possible, however irregular, for persons who have not been baptized to be saved nevertheless through faith in Jesus Christ..

Why is God's name not mentioned in Esther

2013-04-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Why is God's name not mentioned in Esther?

Why is God's not mentioned in Esther - especially in obvious places like this one? scholars suggest several answers to this riddle.

Some, reading between the lines, suggest the Esther's Jewish back ground

Esther showed no reluctance to be married to a pagan king and become part of his harem. Most critically, she and Mordecai (along with all the other Jews in Eshter) had chosen not to returm to Jerusalem with the first wave of Jews nearly of a century before.(The story of that return in tole in Ezra 1-6)

Those who stayed in Persia presumably cared more about their finances than about God's plans for the Jews to return to Jerusalem from exile.

Perhaps because of this, Esther is tole as a secular story, to illustrate God's care over even "secularized" Jews.

Because the story is about God's unseen involvement in the world - everything works out for the Jews in the story even though there are no open miracles. It is a message for a time where God is not openly revealed to us, to know he is still there even though we can't see him.

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW PEOPLE TO SUFFER? IS THE GOD OF THE BIBLE A CRUEL GOD OR IS HE LOVE AND JUSTICE?

2013-04-16T20:57:00.001-07:00

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW PEOPLE TO SUFFER?

IS THE GOD OF THE BIBLE A CRUEL GOD OR IS HE LOVE AND JUSTICE?

Benefits of Suffering

Two questions have plagued the minds of Christians and non-Christians alike: why is there suffering? Why does God allow suffering?

There is one person who stands out above all to give an answer to these deepest of questions, namely St. Paul. In St. Paul’s writings we find a greatly developed meaning of suffering. Pope John Paul II explains why St. Paul writes so much on suffering: “The Apostle shares his own discovery and rejoices in it because of all those whom it can help – just as it helped him – to understand the salvific meaning of suffering

Why me? Why now? What is God doing? Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources.

Suffering is not in itself virtuous, nor is it a sign of holiness. It is also not a means of gaining points with God, nor of subduing the flesh (as in asceticism). When possible, suffering is to be avoided. Christ avoided suffering unless it meant acting in disobedience to the Father’s will.

“we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Most people do not like to suffer, but as Paul explains we can actually rejoice in our suffering not because we like pain, but because we know that God is using our suffering to produce hope. Imagine if you will a flow chart that begins with suffering. The suffering that we face in terms of life’s difficulties or attacks from the enemy produces perseverance in much the same way that practicing golf makes you a better golfer. The more we suffer, the more perseverance we build. This perseverance strengthens our character by building our trust and our faith in God, because the more we suffer the more we must lean on God’s strength to get through difficult times. As our faith and trust in God builds, our hope will also build as we gain greater and greater confidence in our future. In this way, though it might sound counter intuitive, suffering produces hope.

Suffering is a participation in the mystery of Christ and is the way Paul can become like Christ. Suffering is his way of “becoming like him (Christ) in his death” so that he “may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). Through his suffering, Paul sees himself as participating in the Passion of Christ. Because we are being saved through the death and resurrection of Christ we must participate in his Passion to obtain salvation.

This is why Paul can say in his letter to the Galatians that “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Christ gave himself up for us in the salvific act of his Passion and death; Paul sees himself doing the same in participating in the Passion and death of Christ. Christ lives in him when he is “crucified with Christ.” John Paul II notes that “Christ also becomes in a particular way united to the man, Paul, through the cross

General Causes of Suffering

(1) We suffer because we live in a fallen world where sin reigns in the hearts of men.

(2) We suffer because of our own foolishness. We reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-9).

(3) We sometimes suffer because it is God’s discipline. “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son He receives.” (Heb. 12:6).

(4) We may suffer persecution because of our faith--especially when we take a stand on biblical issues, i.e., suffering for righteousness sake (2 Tim. 3:12).

Of course, all of these do not apply at the same time. All suffering is not, for instance, a product of our own foolishness, self-induced misery, or sin. It is true, however, that rarely does suffering not reveal areas of need, weaknesses, and wrong attitudes that need to be removed like dross in the gold refining process

Suffering will mold our hearts. A hopeful heart will lead us forward in freedom; a hardened heart will leave us exhausted and isolated. Only our all-loving, all-powerful Father can fill our hearts with hope in our times of heartache. We have to lay our sufferings at His feet and know that He bears our burdens for us so we can live in the freedom He offers.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

eligibility go to heaven

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Who will go to heaven

శాస్త్రుల నీతి కంటెను పరిసయ్యుల నీతికంటెను మీ నీతి అధికము కానియెడల మీరు పరలోకరాజ్యములో ప్రవేశింపనేరరని మీతో చెప్పుచున్నాను.

For I say unto you that except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

He mentions the Scribes, because they were the more learned part of the people, who were employed in writing out, and expounding the law; and the Pharisees, because they were the strictest sect among the Jews for outward religion and righteousness; and yet, it seems, their righteousness was very defective; it lay only in an external observance of the law; did not arise from a purified heart, or the principles of grace; nor was it performed sincerely, and with a view to the glory of God; but for their own applause, and in order to obtain eternal life: besides, they neglected the weightier matters of the law, and contented themselves with the lesser ones; and as they were deficient in their practice, so they were very lax in their doctrines, as appears from the foregoing verse. Wherefore Christ informs his hearers, that they must have a better righteousness than these men had, if ever they expected to enter into the kingdom of heaven. There will be no admission into heaven without a righteousness: it was the loss of righteousness which removed Adam out of his earthly paradise; and it is not agreeable to the justice of God, to admit man into his heavenly paradise without one; yea, it is contrary to his nature, and would be destructive to the comfort of saints, to receive an unrighteous person into his kingdom and glory. A "pharisaical" righteousness will never bring a person thither; nor will any righteousness of man's, be it what it will, because the best is imperfect; it must be a righteousness exceeding that of the Scribes and Pharisees; and such is the righteousness of the saints: indeed their inherent righteousness, or the sanctification of the Spirit, is preferable to any righteousness of a natural man; it exceeds it in its author, nature, effects, and usefulness; yea, even works of righteousness done by believers are greatly preferable to any done by such men as are here mentioned: but, above all, the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to them, and received by faith, is infinitely more excellent in its author, perfection, purity, and use; and which is their only right and title to eternal glory; and without which no man will be admitted into that glorious state.

Why We Should Learn Samson and Delilah Story

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Samson, meaning “sunshine,”

Samson was granted supernatural strength by God in order to combat his enemies and perform heroic feats such as wrestling a lion, slaying an entire army with only the jawbone of an ass, and destroying a pagan temple. Samson had two vulnerabilities, however: his attraction to untrustworthy women and his hair, without which he was powerless. These vulnerabilities ultimately proved fatal for him.

A quick overview of the story of Samson and Delilah begins with the announcement of Samson’s birth by the angel of the Lord (Judges 13:1-24). In fact, Samson is one of the few in Scripture whose birth was divinely preannounced to his parents (Judges 13:3). He shares this honor with Isaac, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Samson, meaning “sunshine,”was born sometime between 1045 B.C and 1000 B.C., during a dark period of Israel’s history. Seven times this nation had turned from God and now found themselves under the oppressive rule of the Philistines.

Samson was born a Nazirite, meaning “separated” or “set aside” for God. This meant that he was not to drink wine or fruit of the vine. He couldn't go near or touch a dead body, human or animal, nor could he cut his hair. Though he was set apart for special service to God (Judges 13:5), Samson ignored his Nazirite vow of godly devotion and relied upon his own strength and abilities rather than upon God’s. Although God empowered him with supernatural strength to begin the deliverance of the people of Israel from the Philistines (Judges 13:5), it was his weakness for the Philistine women that did him in (Judges 14:1-3,16:1-22). His passion for women was more important to him than God's expressed will (Deuteronomy 7:3).

There are many valuable lessons we can glean from the story of Samson and Delilah. Though born with unbelievable potential, Samson’s life was forfeit because of sin. The less

for us is that the deeper we allow ourselves to be influenced by the glamour and allurement of sin, the more blind we become. This extraordinary story tells us that Samson was spiritually blind long before his eyes were gouged out (Judges 16:21). We must come to recognize and accept the reality that sin can seep deep into in our lives. We must know that sin has a blinding, numbing impact upon us. Otherwise, we find ourselves ensnared by it, just as Samson did.

All sin, especially sexual sin, comes with its own dire and sometimes deadly consequences. Sin binds us, then it blinds us; then it slowly but imperturbably grinds away at us (Judges 16:21). In truth, sin will take us farther than we may intend to go. It will hold us longer than we may intend to stay. Furthermore, sin will cost us more than we intend to pay. We must heed the stern warning: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23)

However, despite all of Samson’s weaknesses, he did turn back to God before he died (Judges 16:28-30). God in His sovereignty used Samson to fulfill His purpose. In reality, Samson’s death did much to impede the oppressive actions of the Philistines. Samson’s destruction of the temple of Dagon was a major factor in their downfall at Mizpah by Samuel and the children of Israel some 100 years later (1 Samuel 7:7-14).

Perhaps the greatest lesson we learn is that God would rather forgive than judge. In the final analysis, God saw Samson as a man of faith. This is evidenced by the fact that he’s listed among those in the hall of faith (Hebrews 11:32). When we read through the list of names recorded there, we find that no one in the “hall of faith” was perfect. Samson was the strongest man to ever live, but it was God who gave him the strength. More importantly, Samson let himself be used by God. In fact, God could have used him without making him the strongest man. He’s willing to meet us right where we are right now and to take us where He wants if we will let Him (James 4:8).

Was Jonah truly swallowed by a whale?

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How could Jonah survive three days in the belly of a great fish

Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jonah son of Amittai appears in 2 Kings as a prophet from Gath-hepher (a few miles north of Nazareth) active during the reign of Jeroboam II (c.786-746 BC), where he predicts that Jeroboam will recover certain lost territories.

For many, the supernatural events recorded in the Bible seem too impossible to be true.

In the book of Jonah the Hebrew word for the sea creature is דג dag, meaning ‘fish’. In the New Testament, the Greek word used by Matthew was κήτος kētos, meaning ‘sea monster’, and is so rendered in the Revised Version margin. The King James Version translators translated this term as ‘whale’, possibly because it was the largest sea creature of which they knew. What the text says is that ‘God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah’ (Jonah 1:17).

The words imply either a special act of creation, or of modification of an existing sea creature to accommodate Jonah safely. Jonah prayed to God ‘out of the fish’s belly’ (Jonah 2:1). ‘Belly’ is a fairly vague term in English, let alone in ancient Hebrew, so if Jonah was swallowed by a creature such as a sperm whale, he might have been in the great laryngeal pouch; if by a shark, he may have been in the stomach of a creature specially prepared by God to protect him from the effects of its gastric juices.

Jonah is miraculously saved by being swallowed by a large fish specially prepared by God where he spends three days and three nights. In chapter two, while in the great fish, Jonah prays to God in his affliction and commits to thanksgiving and to paying what he has vowed. God commands the fish to spew Jonah out.

God again orders Jonah to visit Nineveh and to prophesy to its inhabitants. This time he goes and enters the city crying, "In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown." After Jonah has walked for a day across Nineveh, the people of Nineveh begin to believe his word and proclaim a fast.

The king of Nineveh puts on sackcloth and sits in ashes, making a proclamation to decree fasting, sackcloth, prayer, and repentance. God sees their works and spares the city at that time. The entire city is humbled and broken with the people (and even the animals) in sackcloth and ashes. Animals, plants, warmth and even fish are all seen under the sovereign hand of God. Even the king comes off his throne to repent.

Displeased by this, Jonah refers to his earlier flight to Tarshish while asserting that, since God is merciful, it was inevitable that God would turn from the threatened calamities. He then leaves the city and makes himself a shelter, waiting to see whether or not the city will be destroyed.

God causes a plant (in Hebrew a Kikayon) to grow over Jonah's shelter to give him some shade from the sun. Later, God causes a worm to bite the plant's root and it withers. Jonah, now being exposed to the full force of the sun, becomes faint and desires that God take him out of the world.

And God said to Jonah: 'Art thou greatly angry for the Kikayon?' And he said: 'I am greatly angry, even unto death.'

And the LORD said: 'Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for which thou hast not labored, neither maddest it grow, which came up in a night, and perished in a night;

and should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle?'

JESUS QUESTIONS HIS DISCIPLES

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యేసు అది యెరిగిమనయొద్ద రొట్టెలు లేవేయని మీరెందుకు ఆలోచించుకొనుచున్నారు? మీరింకను గ్రహింపలేదా? వివేచింపలేదా? మీరు కఠినహృదయము గలవారై యున్నారా? మీరు కన్నులుండియు చూడరా? చెవులుండియు వినరా? జ్ఞాపకము చేసికొనరా? Mark 8: 17,18

And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

Questions

Why reason ye because ye have no bread?

perceive ye not yet,

neither understand?

have ye your heart yet hardened?

Having eyes, see ye not?

and having ears, hear ye not?

do ye not remember?

రొట్టెలు లేవేయని మీరెందుకు ఆలోచించుకొనుచున్నారు?

మీరింకను గ్రహింపలేదా? వివేచింపలేదా?

మీరు కఠినహృదయము గలవారై యున్నారా?

మీరు కన్నులుండియు చూడరా?

చెవులుండియు వినరా?

జ్ఞాపకము చేసికొనరా?

Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you don't have any bread? Don't you understand yet? Don't you catch on? Are your minds closed?

What does holy spirit mean ?

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What does holy spirit mean ?

పవిత్ర ఆత్మ ఏమిటి

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Trinity. He is fully God. He is eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, has a will, and can speak. He is alive. He is a person.

As soon as Jesus (the Son) was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven (the Father) said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Word of God -sword of God

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SWORD of GOD

మరియు రక్షణయను శిరస్త్రాణమును,దేవుని వాక్యమను ఆత్మఖడ్గమును ధరించు కొనుడి.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

God's word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions

Psalm 149:6

May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,

Revelation 1:16

In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Understand the Bible

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Important points understanding the Bible

The Bible itself provides many of the keys to understan BIBLE. Regardless of your background, God’s message in the Bible “is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away.”—Deuteronomy 30:11.

Have the right attitude. Accept the Bible as God’s Word. Be humble, since God opposes the proud. (1 Thessalonians 2:13;James 4:6) However, avoid blind faith—God wants you to use your “power of reason.”—Romans 12:1, 2.

Pray for wisdom. “Do not lean upon your own understanding,” the Bible says at Proverbs 3:5. Instead, “keep on asking God” for wisdom in understanding the Bible.—James 1:5.

Be consistent. You will benefit much more from Bible study if you do it regularly rather than sporadically.—Joshua 1:8.

Study by topic. A topical study, in which you analyze what the Bible says about a particular topic or subject, is an effective way to learn what the Scriptures teach. Start with “the beginning lessons,” as it were, and then “go forward to more mature(advanced) teaching.” (Hebrews 6:1, 2, Easy-to-Read Version) You’ll find that you can compare scripture with scripture and learn that various parts of the Bible explain each other, even the parts that are “hard to understand.”—2 Peter 3:16.

Get help from others. The Bible encourages us to accept help from others who understand the Bible. (Acts 8:30, 31) Jehovah’s Witnesses offer a free Bible study program. Like the early Christians, they use Scriptural references to help others discern what the Bible really teaches.—Acts 17:2, 3.

What does Bible says about Joseph of Arimathea

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Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus's Crucifixion. He is mentioned in all four Gospels. The four gospels give differing accounts of Joseph.Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy Jewish man who buried the body of Jesus Christ after the Crucifixion.There are many legends about him, including one that he visited Britain with the young Jesus, and another that after the Crucifixion he brought the Holy Grail to Glastonbury in Somerset and established the first Christian church there.

The story of Joseph of Arimathea is told in all four gospels.

Joseph was a wealthy man who came from Arimathea in Judea. He was a good and righteous man who managed to be both a member of the Council (the Sanhedrin) and a secret supporter of Jesus - which is why he did not join in the Council's actions against Jesus. After the death of Jesus, Joseph asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus' body and bury it properly. Permission was granted and the body was taken down. Joseph, helped by Nicodemus, wrapped the body in cloth with the addition of myrrh and aloes. They buried Jesus in an unused tomb that Joseph may have intended for himself, where it was protected by a heavy stone rolled against the opening.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Matthew 27:57-60 When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mark 15:42-64

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. Luke 23:50-53 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body.

Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19:38-42 The legends of Joseph of Arimathea But there's much more to Joseph of Arimathea than is found in the gospels. A whole host of other stories have grown up around him...

· He was the first person to bring Christianity to Britain, having been sent with other disciples by St Philip

· He built Britain's first church (some say this was actually the first church in the world)

· He was Mary's uncle, and thus Jesus' great-uncle

· He was a merchant who visited England to buy Cornish tin

· He took Jesus with him to England when Jesus was a teenager (local legends say that among the places they visited were St Just in Roseland and St Michael's Mount)

· He brought to England two vials containing the blood and sweat of Jesus (or two vials containing the sweat of Jesus)

· He brought the Holy Grail to England and hid it in a well at Glastonbury, now called the Chalice Well

Joseph was related to Jesus

This story may originate from the tradition that the senior male relative of a crucified person was obliged to deal with the body. Jesus' father was no longer around, so if Joseph of Arimathea did volunteer for the task, that suggests that he must have been related to Jesus in some important way. Joseph of Arimathea in England There are two well-known legends about visits Joseph paid to the West of England.

However when historians looked at the evidence, they could find no mention of Joseph of Arimathea until the 13th century. It's been suggested that the association of Joseph of Arimathea with Glastonbury was a deliberate ploy to add to the status of Glastonbury by associating it with such a prestigious person.

St John's Church has a stained glass window commemorating Joseph of Arimathea.

For Wall Papers click here

It is Finished

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It is Finished

JESUS CHRIST HAS FINISHED the

Satan's dominion and hold over man

The Greek word here in John for ‘finished’ is very interesting. It is the word, ‘teleō’. It occurs 31 times in the King James Version of the Bible, a

To finish a work: see Matthew 13:53 :
To expire or bring to an end. See Revelation 20: 7:
To fill up completely or to fulfill: See Acts 13:28-29: J
To Perform See Luke 2:39:
To Pay a debt completely. See Matthew 17:24:

The work of redemption

The Mosaic covenant with it's priesthood, temple and sacrifices

The curse of the law

Sin (in the sense that it was all placed upon Christ - past, present and future)

The prophecies and types concerning the Messiah's death

The old fallen creation (which was placed 'in Christ'). God's purposes are now centered on a 'new creation' in Christ.

Satan's dominion and hold over man

The separation of Jew and Gentile

John 19:30 KJV: When Jesus … said, It is finished: and he bowed his head.

Amplified: When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)

BBE: So when Jesus had taken the wine he said, "All is done". And with his head bent he gave up his spirit.

CEV: After Jesus drank the wine, he said, "Everything is done!" He bowed his head and died.

ESV: When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

KJV: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

NET: So when he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, "It is completed," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

NJB: After Jesus had taken the wine he said, ‘It is fulfilled'; and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.

TO DO THE WILL OF GOD IN ALL THINGS,

AND TO FINISH HIS WORK.

why did christ jesus die

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Christ died once for our sins

Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:18).

But God showed how much He loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful (Romans 5:8).

So you will be saved, if you honestly say, Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with all your heart that God raised Him from death. God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this (Romans 10:9-10).

But we see JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should TASTE DEATH FOR EVERY MAN" But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”--Romans 5:8

It is through our believing in the shed blood of Christ for our sins that we receive eternal life

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS LYRICS

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WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS LYRICS

What a Friend we in Jesus.

All our sins and griefs to bear !

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in Prayer !

Oh, what peace we often forfeit:

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer !

We should never be discouraged

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble any where?

We should never be discouraged:

Take it to the Lord in prayer !

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness

Take it to the Lord in prayer !

Precious Saviour, still our refuge

Are we weak and heavy - laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge,

Take it to the Lord in prayer,

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer:

In His arms He"ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Crucifixion Facts

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Crucifixion is a method of deliberately slow and painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead. It is principally known from antiquity, but remains in occasional use in some countries.

Crucifixion is an extreme method of capital punishment or execution. While there are several variations, the process involves suspending a person on a vertical surface, often a tree or post with their arms stretched out beside or above them. Forced to remain in this position, the victim is slowly killed by his/her own weight as fluid collects in the chest cavity eventually leading to suffocation.

Crucifixion is arguably the cruelest form of death ever devised. It is extremely painful and can last several days. In addition to the excruciating pain of the crucifixion itself, Jesus was also beaten beyond recognition, flogged repeatedly, and nailed to the cross.

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

WHAT IS YOUR opnion?

Plz. comment........

Christ Jesus is He who died(
Crucified)
, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us

What are the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ on the Cross?

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Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross

The First Word - (Luke 23:34)

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do".

But the forgiveness of God through Christ doesn’t come only to those who don’t know what they are doing when they sin. In the mercy of God, we receive his forgiveness even when we do what we know to be wrong. God chooses to wipe away our sins, not because we have some convenient excuse, and not because we have tried hard to make up for them, but because he is a God of amazing grace, with mercies that are new every morning.

Jesus is looking down from the cross just after he was crucified between two criminals. He sees the soldiers who have mocked him, scourged him and tortured him, and who have just nailed him to the cross. He probably remembers those who have sentenced him - Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, and Herod. But is he not also thinking of his Apostles and companions who have deserted him, to Peter who has denied him three times, to the fickle crowd, who only days before praised him on his entrance to Jerusalem, and then days later chose him over Barabbas to be crucified?

Is he also thinking of us, who daily forget him in our lives?

Does he react angrily? No! At the height of his physical suffering, his love prevails and He asks His Father to forgive them!

The Second Word - (Luke 23:43)

"Amen, I say to thee, today thou shalt be with me in Paradise."

Now it is not just the religious leaders or the soldiers that mock Jesus, but even one of the criminals, a downward progression of mockery. But the criminal on the right speaks up for Jesus, explaining the two criminals are receiving their just due, whereas "this man has done nothing wrong."

Then, turning to Jesus, he asks, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). What wonderful faith this repentant sinner has in Jesus - far more than the doubting Thomas, one of his own Apostles. Ignoring his own suffering, Jesus mercifully responds with His second word.

As Jesus hung on the cross, he was mocked by the leaders and the soldiers. One of the criminals being crucified with him added his own measure of scorn. But the other crucified criminal sensed that Jesus was being treated unjustly. After speaking up for Jesus, he cried out, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”

Jesus responded to this criminal, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” .

The second word again is about forgiveness, this time directed to a sinner. Just as the first word, this Biblical expression is found only in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus shows his Divinity by opening heaven for a repentant sinner - such generosity to a man that only asked to be remembered!

The Third Word - (John 19:26-27)

"Woman, behold thy son... Behold thy mother"

Jesus and Mary are together again, at the beginning of his ministry in Cana and now at the end of his public ministry at the foot of the Cross. What sorrow must fill her heart, to see her Son mocked, tortured, and crucified.

Once again, a sword pierces Mary's soul: we are reminded of the prediction of Simeon at the Temple (Luke 2:35) . There are four at the foot of the cross, Mary his Mother, John, the disciple whom he loved, Mary of Cleopas, his mother's sister, and Mary Magdalene. He addresses his third word to Mary and John, the only eye-witness of the Gospel writers.

The presence of Mary at the cross adds both humanity and horror to the scene. We are reminded that Jesus was a real human being, a man who had once been a boy who had once been carried in the womb of his mother. Even as he was dying on the cross as the Savior of the world, Jesus was also a son, a role he didn't neglect in his last moments.

The death of a child is one of the most painful of all parental experiences. To watch one’s beloved child experience the extreme torture of crucifixion must have been unimaginably terrible.

The Fourth Word - (Mark 27:46)

"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

His fourth Word is the opening line of Psalm 22, and thus his cry from the Cross recalls the cry of Israel, and of all innocent persons who suffer. Psalm 22 of David makes a striking prophecy of the crucifixion of the Messiah at a time when crucifixion was not known to exist: "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones" (22:16-17). The Psalm continues: "They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots" (22:18).

This side of heaven, we will never fully know what Jesus was experiencing in this moment. Was he asking this question because, in the mystery of his incarnational suffering, he didn't know why God had abandoned him? Or was his cry not so much a question as an expression of profound agony? Or was it both?

What we do know is that Jesus entered into the Hell of separation from God. The Father abandoned him because Jesus took upon himself the penalty for our sins. In that excruciating moment, he experienced something far more horrible than physical pain. The beloved Son of God knew what it was like to be rejected by the Father. As we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”But does this not have to happen? Does this not have to occur if Jesus is to save us? It is in defeat of his humanity that the Divine plan of His Father will be completed. It is by His death that we are redeemed. "For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all" (I Timothy 2:5-6).

The Fifth Word- (John 19:28)

"I thirst. "

The fifth word of Jesus is His only human expression of His physical suffering. Jesus is now in shock. The wounds inflicted upon him in the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the nailing upon the cross are now taking their toll, especially after losing blood on the three-hour walk through the city of Jerusalem to Golgotha on the Way of the Cross.

"He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,

so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed."

I Peter 2:24.

The Sixth Word - (John 19:30)

"It is consummated."

This statement is traditionally called "The Word of Triumph" and is theologically interpreted as the announcement of the end of the earthly life of Jesus, in anticipation for the Resurrection.

These last words are seen as a cry of victory, not of dereliction. Jesus had now completed what he came to do. "A plan was fulfilled; a salvation was made possible; a love shown. He had taken our place. He had demonstrated both humanity's brokenness and God's love. He had offered himself fully to God as a sacrifice on behalf of humanity. As he died, it was finished. With these words, the noblest person who ever walked the face of this planet, God in the flesh, breathed his last"

When Jesus said “It is finished,” surely he was expressing relief that his suffering was over. Jesus had accomplished his mission. He had announced and inaugurated the kingdom of God. He had revealed the love and grace of God. And he had embodied that love and grace by dying for the sin of the world, thus opening up the way for all to live under the reign of God.

Because Jesus finished his work of salvation, you and I don’t need to add to it. In fact, we can’t. He accomplished what we never could, taking our sin upon himself and giving us his life in return. Jesus finished that for which he had been sent, and we are the beneficiaries of his unique effort. Because of what he finished, you and I are never “finished.” We have hope for this life and for the next. We know that nothing can separate us from God’s love. One day what God has begun in us will also be finished, by his grace. Until that day, we live in the confidence of Jesus’ cry of victory: “It is finished!”

The Seventh Word - (Luke 23:46)

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."

Two of the last seven “words” of Jesus were quotations from the Psalms. Earlier Jesus had Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” to express his anguish. Later he borrowed from Psalm 31, which comes to us from Luke as “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands.”

The seventh word of Jesus is from the Gospel of Luke, and is directed to the Father in heaven, just before He dies. Jesus recalls Psalm 31:5 - "Into thy hands I commend my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God." Luke repeatedly pleads Jesus' innocence: with Pilate (Luke 23:4, 14-15, 22), through Dismas (by legend), the criminal (Luke 23:41), and immediately after His death with the centurion" "Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent" (Luke 23:47).

John's Gospel related that it was the Day of Preparation, the day before the actual Passover (Pesach in Hebrew, Pascha in Greek and Latin), that Jesus was sentenced to death (19:14) and sacrificed on the Cross (19:31). He died at the ninth hour (three o'clock in the afternoon), about the same time as the Passover lambs were slaughtered in the Temple. Christ became the Paschal or Passover Lamb, as noted by St. Paul: "For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed" (I Corinthians 5:7). The innocent Lamb was slain for our sins, so that we might be forgiven.

Jesus fulfilled His mission: "They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith" (Romans 3:24-25).

The relationship of Jesus to the Father is revealed in the Gospel of John, for He remarked, "The Father and I are one" (10:30), and again, at the Last Supper: "Do you not believe I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works" (14:10). And He can return: "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" (16:28). Jesus practiced what He preached: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Why is INRI written on a cross and what is its significance?

2013-03-25T02:05:00.000-07:00

What is the meaning of INRI on the cross above Jesus' head

The letters “INRI” are initials for the Latin title that Pontius Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross (John 19:19). Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire.

The words were "Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm." Latin uses “I” instead of the English “J”, and “V” instead of “U” (i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum).

The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews."

INRI stems from the Latin phrase 'Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum' meaning 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'. This was the notice Pontius Pilate nailed over Jesus as he lay dying on the cross. It now signifies that a true Christian lies there.

Although John’s gospel refers to the writing as a “title,” Mark and Matthew both refer to it as an “accusation.” It was customary to set up over the heads of persons crucified the crime for which they suffered, and the name of the sufferer.

The accusation on which Jesus had been condemned by Pilate was his claiming to be the King of the Jews. Ironically, the “crime” for which Jesus was crucified is not a crime at all, but an absolutely true statement. Not only is Jesus King of the Jews, He is the King of all – the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14 and 19:16). He is King over all the universe and all its inhabitants. And it was not any crime of His own that was nailed to the cross; it was the crimes (sins) of everyone who would ever put his or her faith in Him for salvation. He has “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

Therefore many of the Jews read this title, because the place where Jesus was impaled was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, in Greek. However, the chief priests of the Jews began to say to Pilate: "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that he said, 'I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered: "What I have written I have written."

Latin became the Language of the Roman Catholic Church. But, in Latin, they used the "I" for the Letter "J" (both in Jesus and Jews), their word for King was "REX", and they used the "V" for the "U" . So the sign would have been something like this one

IESVS NAZEREVS, REX IUDEA, Or using the first letters of each words: INRI

The final language on the sign was Hebrew which is the Jewish language. Now the first word was Yehoshuah (Jesus). The first letter of that is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It is the little yod, which looks like an apostrophe. (Hebrew is read from right to left.) Yehoshuahand according to the Bible it was "Jesus the Nazarene." The next word was ha Nazarite. The next word would be "and," which is what we call a wha. It is like a little line with a hook on top. The next one would be the king of Jews Hamelech Yudio. What you had on the cross reading from right to left in the first letter, are the four letters of the Tetragrammaton YHWH. YHWH is the covenant name of God in the Old Testament Hebrew which did not have vowels (today we know this as Yahweh).

In John 19:19-22 the chief Priests wanted Pilate to take the sign down because the sign recognized Jesus as Yahweh or God.

Just as the title King of the Jews was written in three languages, so do those of all nations and languages recognize Him as Savior, as indeed He is of all the elect of God whom He saves from all their sins, by bearing them in His own body on the cross, and of whom He is the able and willing, the perfect and complete, the only and everlasting Savior.